Shomron – The Israeli military says a Palestinian has infiltrated a Jewish West Bank settlement and killed five people. Israeli media is reporting that the dead are all members of the same family — parents and three children.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Israel hunted for the perpetrators of a grisly murder of a family of five in a remote West Bank settlement Saturday, appealing for help from the Palestinian Authority, which sent security forces to join the manhunt.
The knife attack, which killed two young children, a baby and their parents as they slept, was the deadliest in years. It comes at a delicate moment, with pressure building on Israel to launch a new peace initiative and the Palestinians pushing for world recognition of an independent state — with or without a peace deal.
Israeli forces set up checkpoints throughout the area surrounding the Itamar settlement in the northern West Bank and were still sweeping the region late into Saturday. Military officials said they had made some arrests, but wouldn’t provide details.
Itamar, a settlement of religiously observant Jews, is located in the northern part of the West Bank near the Palestinian city of Nablus.
The governor of the nearby Palestinian city of Nablus, Jibril Bakri, told The Associated Press that Palestinian security forces were also searching for suspects. It was a rare instance of the two sides both searching for militant suspects, though Israeli forces and those of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank do cooperate on security issues.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a special security meeting to decide upon further action, saying he was “deeply shocked” by the attack.
“We all know, as those who want to strike at us will know, that the future of the settlements will not be decided upon by terror,” he said. “Israel will not stand by idly after such a despicable murder and will act vigorously to safeguard the lives of the citizens of Israel and punish the murderers.”
The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a mostly defunct Palestinian militant group, took responsibility for the attack. However, they frequently claim to be behind attacks they didn’t do in hopes of raising their profile.
“Violence does not justify violence, we condemn it completely, whoever does it and whoever the victims are,” Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told The Associated Press.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Netanyahu to condemn the attack as well.
Netanyahu said that was not enough and demanded Palestinians stop incitement “that is going on every day in their schools, in their mosques, in the media outlets they control.”
“It is time to stop this double speak, because the Palestinian Authority speaks peace outwards but allows incitement inwards,” he said in a speech later Saturday.
In Gaza, a Hamas official applauded the attack and local residents celebrated the killing of the settlers.
TV footage from the scene showed children’s toys covered in blood and furniture tipped over. Israeli officials said at least one Palestinian militant infiltrated the settlement, entered the family home and stabbed the parents and three of their children, ages 11, 3 and 4 months, as they slept.
Two young children asleep in another part of the house survived. Another family member, a 12-year-old girl, was away at a youth group function when the attack occurred. She arrived home to discover the carnage and then alerted authorities.
Israeli President Shimon Peres called the attack “one of the ugliest we have known.”
“The murder of parents and their little children … indicates a loss of humanity,” he said. “No religion and no faith in the world condones such atrocious acts.”
The bloody nature of the attack immediately raised concerns about Jewish retribution. Col. Nimrod Aloni, a West Bank brigade commander, said the military was preparing for possible clashes between Palestinians and settlers.
Israeli settlers sometimes carry out revenge attacks on Palestinian targets, either in retaliation for Palestinian violence or for Israeli government actions against settlers. The attacks, known as “price tag” diplomacy, include vandalism, destruction of crops or physical attacks.
Netanyahu called on all Israelis “to act with restraint and not to take the law into their own hands.”
Itamar is a small and extreme settlement that has rocky relations with the nearby Palestinian towns and villages.
The overnight attack was the first against settlers in months and the deadliest in years, marking a rare outburst of violence during a relatively calm period. It comes as Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts are at a standstill and could complicate efforts to restart them.
Peace talks between the two sides collapsed last year over disputes over Israeli settlements in the West Bank, territory Palestinians envision as part of their future state.
A 10-month Israeli freeze of new settlement construction expired last September, but a de facto slowdown has since continued on the ground, angering settlers.
Ron Nahman, mayor of the Ariel settlement, called on the government to respond to the “massacre” by resuming construction in earnest. He said anything else would send a message to Arabs that “you can do anything against the settlers.”
The attack occurred on the Jewish Sabbath when the observant are prohibited from working and most physical activity, instead spending the day in prayer or rest. Itamar is an observant community and there was no official comment from residents there.
The White House condemned the attack and offering condolences to the Israeli people.
“There is no possible justification for the killing of parents and children in their home. We call on the Palestinian Authority to unequivocally condemn this terrorist attack and for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be held accountable.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he would file a complaint with the U.N. over the attack and that he expects “worldwide condemnation of the satanic murder of an entire family.”
The U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry issued a statement in which condemned the “shocking murder” and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Horrible! I’m sitting here crying for these Heilige Neshomos!
Baruch Dayan Haemes. That last picture……It rips my heart out.
To many pictures…. cant deal with this
Arab animals,
Tragic loss of life. Jewish children killed while asleep in their beds on shabbes. What a horror. What a travesty.
How can a human stab a baby?
They can if its a jewish baby.
HYD!!!! Avinu Malkenu Nekom Nikmas Dam Avudecha Hashufuch!!!
Only sick barbarians arabs and their Nazi allies can do something like this murder little children and babies ..Any 1 who believes we can ever make peace with these animals is simply nuts or suicidal ..
BDE! Oi my heart goes out to those who surived and to those who suffered from this tragic loss!
Arab basterds
REVENGE!!!!!
I’m sure it will be the top story in the sunday ny times.
Time & again the world sees arab animals in action & stays silent. As the saying goes “feeding the crocodile hoping he eats you last”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a special security meeting to decide upon further action, saying he was “deeply shocked” by the attack.
im not shocked at all but i am deeply sadend by this
Hashem yinkom damam! The only thing these animals understand is violence so lets give them some! If the city of Nablus still exists in 24 hours, Israel has failed.
Hey AP! Get it right, ithamar is not remote! Its a large community!
the gangsters responsible for this horendous and vicious crime,are none other than these two criminally insane traitorous leftist self hating cowards Bibi and Barak,who under the order of their master Hussein Obama,have in the last three months,dismantled over 30 security checkpoints,that has enabled these murderous animals to roam freely and kill jews, i hope and pray that the people of Israel will eventualy rise up and overthrow and get rid of this traitorous regime,and do to them exactly what the citizens of France and Italy did to their traitorous leaders Mossilini and Marshall Peitan, after world war two
Brothers, your first reaction should be oy! This dark bitter golus has to end. We must act to bring moshiach, stop the loshon hora, we can’t deal with another drop of Jewish blood being spilled.
Revenge will indeed come. First geula!
It is about time to stop playing games. This disgusting act is a war crime. Israel must let the PA know in no uncertain terms that there will be severe consequences to such acts. Israel should send in a large armed force into the PA areas and not leave until the insane leades of the martyr’s brigade are handed over to Israel and then promptly executed. This group has committed too many acts of violence to allow them to go unpunished. We must stop this violence by eliminating the leaders of terrorist groups. We demand that the leaders of all terrorist groups be handed over to face justice. The PA cannot continue to harbour these terroists and then make unrealistic demands on Israel. The leaders of Israel have been too timid in the past by not demanding justice for such crimes. If the Israeli leaders were true Jews and not from the Eriv Rav they would put an end to the this kind of violence by using strength and power to stop it. They should even surround the home of the PA leaders with tanks and tell them stop it or else!
IM SO SAd–THERE ARE NO Words!!!!!!
May G-d Avenge Their Blood. Hashem Yinkom Domom.
אבינו מלכינו נקום נקמת דם עבדיך השפוך!
שפוך חמתך!
Which is the truth?
According to Arutz 7: (Netanyahu) He also said he was shocked by the ambiguous condemnation of Palestinian Authority leaders. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas stated, “Violence will only bring more violence – we must hurry to find a comprehensive, just solution to the conflict.”
Looks like the PM is crying because his enemies don’t love him: “I know I’m not worthy of love…Abbas! You must love me and my people! Even though I and Ehud Barak (This horrible attack happened bec. checkpoints were removed.) don’t love them.”
A horror…don’t move to Israel without a gun at your side. Nothing’s perfect but one must go ‘lefi tevah.’ (Of course HaKodesh Boruch Hoo is first.)
The ’10 O’clock IBA News’ featured the (Tragic) Japanese Tsunami and the Israeli carnage second…tells one a lot about ‘The Medina.’
I am saddened about the terrible heinous murder of a family that took place in Israel. There is no question that they are now enjoying the eternal bliss of the afterlife, and that reality makes me happy.
However, I will say this. We certainly need to be more vigilant with protecting our borders and tracking down the murderers. However, the most important question is WHAT IS HASHEM TELLING US? I can not speak for him, but I can point out some facts.
Before we go blaming the Arabs ymsh (who are to blame), lets do a little Tanach review. Anyone who studies it even superficially knows that one of the most recurring themes are that HASHEM PUNISHES FOR SIN.
Now, desecration of the Shabbat is rampant in Israel. A death penalty. Abortion is widely practiced in Israel. The illegal ugly sin of butchering babies. The disregard for the bones of the dead is not at all uncommon. Sex before marriage is practiced among the secular. (Obviously the girl is a niddah.) Most of Israel ignores the rules of Niddah….and it goes on and on and on…..
So as I moan and pray and commiserate for the pain of the family, I also moan and pray and commiserate for the pain of Hashem whos children hate him.
If the israelis are enough brave to hang this terrorist by the neck in shaar shchem for the world to see, then maybe it’s worthwile to pursue him. Anything short of that, is a waste of time!
They think anyone is scared by them,
they think we are freightened,
they think that fear is instilled in our hearts,
they think they are holy warriors,
they do it in the name of God,
They are nothing but shameless cowards!
Which will burn in hell! (No!, Not in paradise with your prophet”s 13 vir……….!)
Humanity has never seen such dirty creatures!
you are nothing but a disgrace to humanity!!!
Reply to #24 : You forgot to mention, in all your arrogant judgmental wisdom, that Hashem caused this tragedy because of rabbis and community members covering up child molestation, and protecting those who abuse children. Instead of caring about the living, you’re more concerned with “disregard for the bones of the dead.” Your values truly reflect the “ve’nahapoch hu” theme. Maybe your topsy turvy sense of integrity caused this tragedy?
In Gaza, a Hamas official applauded the attack and local residents celebrated the killing of the settlers
This says it all
It’s insulting and disrespectful to all animals to call these sick scumbags that. And btw, These are just the fluke human pieces of trash that managed to carry out their dreams… there are hundreds of thousands more in the garbage dumps of Nablus, Ramallah and Gaza who would gladly and happily do the same if they could. Anybody who thinks Israel should make peace with these filthy dung-holes is out of their mind.
omg, i cant beleive this…… its so sad! i read this everywhere online tonight realy sad! one thing i dont understand is how the palistinian president, called to say his condolences….. afterall he and his followers are to blame! i feel so bad for the family and friends of this family! well may they rest in peice and be a melitz yosher! bde!
Zionist or not, it’s really a sad day of our history. When I heard about it Motzaei Shabbos, I was almost crying. There is no word to describe what we can feel about such horrific and coward act.
I wonder how the nuts of Neturei Karta feel…